Suspect in theft of ATM arrested in Emporia

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday arrested a 33-year-old man they’d been looking for since an ATM machine was stolen May 20 from Patriots Bank in Princeton.

With the assistance of the Emporia Police Department, Jason M. Smith was arrested shortly before noon Tuesday in the parking lot of Newman Memorial Hospital in Emporia, according to a news release issued by the sheriff’s office.

“We’ve been working very hard on finding him since May 20,” said Franklin County Sheriff Jeff Curry. “Finding someone who is on the run is not an easy task but I’m glad we were able to arrest him and do so without incident.”

Police allege Smith pulled the ATM out of a drive-through lane at the bank and loaded it in a truck in the early morning hours of May 20. A police chase ensued. The getaway car crashed about 10 miles away in Williamsburg, and Smith fled on foot, according to police.